<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>the edge of great by sunsetswerv</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26624128">the edge of great</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetswerv/pseuds/sunsetswerv'>sunsetswerv</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Julie and The Phantoms (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, also catch that subtle avatar reference in p1!, it's about the yearning, luke is a simp for julie, subtle parallels to perfect harmony that make me want to scream</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:42:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26624128</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunsetswerv/pseuds/sunsetswerv</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>a pair of drabbles that revolve around luke's developing feelings for julie in s1e7, the edge of great. of course alex and reggie can pinpoint how their bandmate is feeling before he figures it out himself.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Julie Molina/Luke Patterson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>213</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the edge of great</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi, everyone! this is my first fic a) in a very, very long time, and b) EVER on ao3! i am so excited to get to shake the rust off my writing abilities and share these two pieces with you. i hope you enjoy them as much as i have creating them! (julie and the phantoms is not my show, and i have no professional affiliation with it.)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Luke took a moment to himself to lean against a wall of lockers in Los Feliz high school, shaking his head in disbelief at the exchange that just occurred. Julie Molina was the smartest, sweetest girl he’d ever known. How did she think to take out her phone to talk to him so the rush of students around them wouldn’t think something was up? Not only did their talk help the band lock down their setlist for that evening, but Luke also got the chance to visit Julie when his other bandmates weren’t around to vie for her attention. They didn’t spend much time together one-on-one - although, a small part of him wished they did. Talking with Julie was just like singing or writing songs with her - completely natural, in perfect harmony with what the other was thinking. Reflecting on his bandmate’s genius caused their brief conversation to play again through his head, a particular phrase blissfully rising to the top of his mind.<br/>
</p><p>“I think we make each other better.” he echoed Julie’s sentiment as she disappeared around the corner to go to class, a grin spreading across his face. Any jitters he had felt before coming to see her completely dissipated. He turned, back against Julie’s locker, and laughed in complete disbelief. “Did you hear that? <em>We make each other better</em>.” The phantom’s smile softened as he ran a hand through his hair. “I’m glad we agree on that one, Julie.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>With a <em>poof</em> Luke’s scuffed sneakers found solid ground again on the concrete floor of the Molinas’ studio. The comforting surroundings of his former home only stoked Luke’s happiness as he hummed a few notes of <em>The Edge of Great</em>, his feet going almost instinctively to the couch in the corner of the room. Luke got to see Julie when he would usually have to wait a few more hours to, knew exactly what to drill in the Phantoms’ afternoon rehearsal, <em>and</em> had the chance to perform a piece of music that he helped create in front of a crowd tonight.<em> Man, the afterlife was good!</em><br/>
</p><p>As he flopped down onto familiar cushions, the ever-distinctive sound of Alex clearing his throat interjected itself into his euphoria. The guitarist’s eyelids snapped open with realization, and he let out a nervous chuckle. <em>Right. Alex and Reggie stay here, too. And he hadn’t told them where he’d spirited off to.</em> “I know, I know, you missed me, right?” Luke attempted to end the questions before they began, casually pulling himself up to a sitting position. A weak chuckle preceded a lame deterrent. “How did’ja hang around here without me?”<br/>
</p><p>“We were just about to figure out tonight’s set before you poofed away and skipped the first half of band rehearsal!” Reggie said, strolling across the room before plopping down in the chair next to Luke. “It doesn’t really matter where you went, you’ve just got to <em>tell</em> us you’re going, bro. Bands don’t just <em>ghost</em> each other… like, in the blowing-each-other off way. We don’t really have a choice in the not-alive-but-still-have-a-corporeal-form-way.”<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah, Luke, what he said.” Alex came over to join them, perching on an arm of the couch. “You could’ve just told us you needed some time to clear your head before we started getting ready for the show. Anyway, we were thinking <em>Great</em>. Thoughts?”<br/>
</p><p>Luke smiled almost sheepishly. “Yeah - yeah yeah yeah, that sounds.. great. Me and Julie both thought that was a solid choice, actually.” He disclosed that detail hurriedly, bracing himself for an impending interrogation.<br/>
</p><p>Realization had barely passed the other two phantoms’ faces before the confession spilled out of Luke’s mouth. “Okay, so I poofed to her school and waited by her locker because I wanted her opinion on a setlist for tonight so we could get some solid rehearsal in before she got home. Is that <em>so wrong</em>?”<br/>
</p><p>His friends stared back at him blankly, processing how Luke chose to spend his morning. Alex cocked his head to the side. “You went to see Julie. At school.”<br/>
</p><p>Luke’s eyes flicked to the floor. “Yeah.”<br/>
</p><p>The tirade continued. “After her dad just chewed her out for putting the band.. Over school.”<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah, but-”<br/>
</p><p>“No <em>buts</em>, man, we can’t risk her dad pulling her out of the band because you wanna go ask her something we can just find out later! You <em>know</em> we need her.”<br/>
</p><p>Lost for words, Luke glanced at Reggie, pleading silently for a rescue.<br/>
</p><p>The bass player crossed his arms, a playful glint in his eye. “Out of all of us, <em>you should know</em> how important Julie is, Luke.”<br/>
</p><p>He shook his head in exasperation. “What are you getting at, Reg?”<br/>
</p><p>“What I’m <em>getting at</em> is I don’t think you went to see Julie to talk about the setlist.”<br/>
</p><p>“Isn’t that <em>literally</em> what I just told you I did?”<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah, that’s what you <em>told us</em> you did,” Reggie paused for a moment, reveling in his sound analysis of Luke Patterson’s emotional landscape, “But <em>really</em> you went to go see Julie because you missed her. Because you <em>like</em> her.”<br/>
</p><p>At the very <em>mention</em> of the ‘l-word’ Luke felt a blush rise to his cheeks, but he couldn't admit defeat just yet. “Dude, I <em>do not</em> like her!” he spluttered, but then immediately attempted to backpedal, “You know, like, at least - at least not in <em>that</em> way. Like, yeah, of course I like her <em>as a friend</em> - how could anyone <em>not</em> like <em>Julie</em>? I-I mean, she’s <em>Julie</em>. She’s cute and smart and sings like an angel. She’s the kind of girl that people write songs about!” He huffed, then his eyes widened when he realized the entirety of what he’d said. He sounded… well, exactly like someone who liked Julie. Because Luke <em>did</em> like Julie. A lot.<br/>
</p><p>“You’ve really gotta work on your rambling, Luke. You give yourself away<em> way</em> too easily.” Alex reached over and clapped him on the shoulder sympathetically while Reggie fist pumped the air victoriously.<br/>
</p><p>“I <em>knew</em> it! I <em>really</em> pieced that one together! The way you guys perform together is a dead giveaway, dude.” Then, to Alex, beaming with triumph: “I should be a detective.”<br/>
</p><p>“Well hey, hey - it doesn’t matter anyway whether I like Julie or not. There’s a guy she goes to school with that has it for her bad."<br/>
</p><p>“So?” Alex arched an eyebrow, not quite following his bandmate.<br/>
</p><p>“He’s got a leg up on me? He’s <em>alive</em>.” Luke pouted, flopping back onto his back with a dramatic flourish. “And he gets to <em>dance</em> with her today! Like, actually <em>touch</em> and feel the music with her. I couldn't hold her hand even if I tried.”<br/>
</p><p>“<em>Ohhh</em>,” the other two phantoms exclaimed in a dejected unison.<br/>
</p><p>“That’s kinda rough, buddy,” Reggie frowned, stroking his chin. “I’m sorry.”<br/>
</p><p>“It is a little cute, though.” Alex looked over at Reggie before gushing, “Luke is <em>jealous</em> of this guy! Luke Patterson, resident hunk and lead guitarist-slash-vocalist of Julie and the Phantoms, is jealous. I never thought I’d see the day.”<br/>
</p><p>“Ha-ha, very funny, Alex.” Luke rolled his eyes, grabbing a pillow to put over his face to hide how red his face was getting. “Besides, this guy should be jealous of <em>me</em>,” he mumbled into the fabric of the pillow, trying to reassure himself, “<em>I’m</em> the one that gets to rock out with her tonight.” Alex hummed in a resigned agreement.<br/>
</p><p>“Speaking of rocking out, Luke, you ready to finally start this band rehearsal? I’m pretty hype to show this song to a crowd later.” Reggie hopped up from his seat, making a beeline for his bass.<br/>
</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, let’s do it!” Luke jumped up with a renewed passion, heading over to his guitar. There was nothing he needed more right now than music to sort out these crazy thoughts. <em>Was he jealous of Nick? </em>he mused to himself as he tuned his six-string. <em>Maybe a little.  Besides, it would be seriously rad to get a chance to dance with someone like Julie.</em><br/>
</p><p>Luke shook himself out of his thoughts. “Alex, you ready?”<br/>
</p><p>“Ready as I’ll ever be!” came the drummer’s reply as he took a seat behind his drumset.<br/>
</p><p>“Alright, let’s make sure we’ve got the chorus locked down. Alex, count us in, man...” As the rehearsal slowly came to life, Luke couldn’t help but smile.<br/>
</p><p><em>Jealous or no, he couldn't wait to get out there and make some music. Julie might not be his, but the song was something they both shared</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>